7 players tied for early lead at European Tour's Russian Open

MOSCOW – Sweden's Rikard Karlberg is among seven players tied for the lead with five under par 67s midway through the opening round of the Russian Open in Moscow.

The 27-year-old Karlberg eagled the 15th and birdied the 17th to join Australia's Jack Wilson, Belgium's Thomas Pieters, Germany's Max Kieffer, India's Gaganjeet Bhullar and the South African duo of Oliver Bekker and Louis De Jager atop the leaderboard at the Tseleevo Golf and Polo Club course.

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Among the players in the afternoon groups is former tennis world No. 1 Yevgeny Kafelnikov.

Defending champion Michael Hoey withdrew from the event with a left foot injury that had also forced the Northern Irishman out of last week's British Open.